You can totally do this! We just found stacks of simple white linen napkins and dipped them in little bowls of fabric dye to give them a watercolor effect. To keep with the minimal feel of this week’s board we laid out white paper on our table and chose flowers with hints of pink and white in them.

Check out the comment section to learn more about the dyes and technique Jessica used to get the ombre effect!

You can pick up RIT fabric dye at your local Michael’s/JoAnn’s/ACMoore. You won’t need a lot, so buy the boxes of dye (as opposed to the bottle size). Choose whatever colors look pretty to you, I usually like to get a range of similar colors so I can mix shades.

Other supplies you will need are:
-white fabric napkins (it’s nice to have a few extra for testing)
-several glass cups/jars (tall enough to dip the napkins in, one for each color)
-wooden paint stirrers or pencils
-cheap paintbrushes
-scrap papers strips (if you have scrap white fabric, that’s even better)
-clothespins
-rubber gloves
-LOTS of paper towels.

Fold your napkin into the shape you want it to be in when it’s finished. Clip the top with two clothespins (so you can pick it up later without getting any stray dye on it) then put it aside.

Make sure your kitchen counter is lined with paper towels or other protective gear. Fabric dye will stain things like wood and hands, so put on your gloves!

Fill a jar with hot water (roughly to the height you want it on the napkin), then add a pinch of fabric dye. This stuff is potent, so i’m talking just a few crumbs! Stir it until the dye is well mixed, and then dip in a piece of scrap paper to test how dark the dye is. Keep mixing dyes until you get a shade you like, and test with paper as you go.

I like to dip the napkin quickly several times, first with the lightest shade, then mixing the dye darker and dipping again, a little lower on the napkin each time. Just rest the napkin on paper towels in your sink in between dye sessions. Also, you can dip the paintbrush in the dye and paint on the napkin to get extra emphasis. The dye is really forgiving, so have fun experimenting!

Would you use this on larger pieces of fabric – maybe a shawl or skirt? My screen does not show the variations of color clearly. Did you dip from both sides in different colors, or only from one side. I love it and want to do so many things with it!